#Middlebury #DVD
When I was a little girl, my father would read to me and my brother on rainy days. Mostly it was from J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The Hobbit,” but also from “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy. So when those stories were released in movie form, it created a happy series of memories for me and my dad. Elrond seemed to be a reasonable dad to Arwen, and I think we can all agree that Denethor was a terrible dad, but thankfully there are a whole slew of movies that showcase some completely awesome dads. Here are a few:
“Hotel Transylvania” (2012) – Adam Sandler voices a doting vampire dad who does just about anything to keep his daughter Mavis safe from the outside world, including moving to the middle of a forest and setting up a hotel just for monsters with a fake village to steer her away from humans! And like most good dad stories, it’s his little girl’s potential love interest – a dreaded human! – that sparks wacky shenanigans.
Robin Williams in “Mrs. Doubtfire” (20th Century Fox photo)
“Mrs. Doubtfire” (1993) – You can’t keep a good dad down, and when out of work actor Daniel Hillard (played in glorious drag by Robin Williams) loses custody of his kids, he concocts an over-the-top British nanny in order to spend more quality time with his daughter and son. Now, that’s dad-ication!
“The Pursuit of Happyness” (2006) – Based on a real-life memoir, Will Smith plays Chris Gardner, a homeless salesman whose grit and determination to build a better world for his son take the pair on a journey from the streets to success. Bonus for the fact that Smith’s actual son Jaden plays his son in the movie.
“To Kill a Mockingbird” (1962) – In this classic tale of standing up for others, Atticus Finch walks it like he talks it as a lawyer defending the innocent against injustice and showing his children, Scout and Jem, how to be a good human being in the face of evil.
“Finding Nemo” (2003) – Marlin is a good dad, but overprotective – and you know how kids love to break the rules, or at least test the waters. And when Nemo, an adorable clownfish with one diminutive fin, gets scooped up by a fisherman, his dad crosses an ocean to find him.
“Father of the Bride” (1991) – Steve Martin plays a shoe designer with a darling daughter whose impending marriage turns his life topsy-turvy. It’s an endearing picture and a real tear-jerker.
“Shogun Assassin” (1980) – Honorable mention goes to widower Ogami and his son Daigoro, based on the “Lone Wolf and Cub” manga series. A shogun’s executioner, Ogami’s wife is murdered and he is set up for a crime of dishonor. On the run, he offers his baby son a choice: the sword or the ball. The baby chooses the ball, which means he gets to join dad on a violent quest for vengeance.
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